Palm Beach

TRACK BANDIT PREVIEWS

GO BETWEEN (Point Given) enters Sunday’s $100,000 Palm Beach S. (G3) off a
smart two-length maiden score, but he does own experience against winners,
finishing third in the off-the-turf Pilgrim S. last October. Beaten more than 17
lengths that afternoon, it was the worst showing of his young career. The
blossoming sophomore is much better on grass and appears to have a bright future
in stakes events.

Trained by Bill Mott, Go Between finished a close third when making his
career bow at Saratoga and then just missed when second in what proved to be a key
race at Belmont Park. He finally earned his diploma in mid-February at
Gulfstream, returning off a layoff to trounce a well-meant group of rivals. The
chestnut overcame early trouble before drawing off to a comfortable decision,
and we were impressed by his acceleration into the stretch. A hot pace appears
likely Sunday, and Go Between can take advantage for his second consecutive win.

UP AN OCTAVE (Brahms) looks dangerous. The Todd Pletcher trainee closed with
a rush to win his turf debut, the Kris S. S. at Calder two starts back, and
followed with a solid third in the grassy Hallandale Beach S. at Gulfstream. He
earned century-topping BRIS Late Pace ratings for both and a career-best 101
Speed rating last time, and Up an Octave figures to relish the projected fast
pace with his late kick. The added distance looks like another advantage for the
improving colt.

DEVIL’S PREACHER (Pulpit) recorded a nice maiden win last time and could grab
a small share in his stakes debut at long odds. He’s shown an affinity for the
local turf, running second by a neck in his first attempt in early January,
and has given a very honest effort in all four career outings for trainer George
Weaver. We’ll look for the stalker to keep showing more with an in-the-money
finish.

LEWIS MICHAEL (Rahy) captured the grassy Grand Canyon S. at Churchill Downs
last November and turned in a commendable third behind Barbaro (Dynaformer) in the Tropical
Park Derby (G3) on New Year’s Day. The Wayne Catalano trainee didn’t fire at
short odds in the Hallandale last time, but he’s better than that and is
eligible to rebound with a much improved showing on Sunday.

DIABOLICAL (Artax) wrapped up his juvenile campaign with a respectable second
to Barbaro in the Laurel Futurity and makes his three-year-old bow
off a 113-day freshening. The speedy colt surprisingly sat off the early pace
that afternoon, but we’re concerned that he might be too eager to rate in his
return. The multiple Grade 3-placed colt has the talent to grab a top three
placing, but we’ll let him beat us off the layoff. Stakes winner MR. SILVER
(Concorde’s Tune) could make us look bad, but he drew the far outside and may
have trouble sustaining his speed over nine furlongs.

MUSIC FROM HEAVEN (Songandaprayer) owns an interesting turf pedigree (dam has
four grass winners), but he’s winless from two grass attempts and is stepping up
in class. We can’t recommend his chances. We’ll give LORD OF MIDNIGHT (El
Corredor), a maiden claiming victor last out, a race against winners.